Friday, June 29, 2007

SEPTA Follows PAT Approving Fare Increase & Sept. Service Cut

From Glenn A. Walsh

After a month's delay, due to the two Philadelphia representatives on the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) temporarily vetoing proposed service cuts and fare increase, the proposed changes were approved on Thursday afternoon by a 13-2 vote of the SEPTA Board (the two representatives from Philadelphia continuing to vote no).

Thus, beginning July 9, SEPTA will institute an average 11 percent increase in fares. While the two-dollar base fare (and $1.30 for tokens) will not change on July 9, transfers will be eliminated on August 1. Weekly and monthly passes will be increasedfor subway, trolley, and bus riders, as well as for Regional Rail commuter train riders.

The SEPTA Board on Thursday also approved a "doomsday" plan, which calls for a 24 percent fare hike and 20 percent service cuts effective September 2, if SEPTA does not receive $100 million from the Pennsylvania General Assembly, by that time.

This follows 15 percent service cuts in Pittsburgh's Port Authority Transit (PAT) system, which took effect on June 17. PAT officials plan a fare increase on January 1, although the extent of the increase has not yet been decided. And, if further State funds are not made available, PAT will also institute service reductions of another 10 percent, effective September 2.